The Ninth Edition of this bestselling introductory text features a completely up-to-date, comprehensive survey of the functional areas of business: management, marketing, accounting, finance, and information technology. Core topics highlighted within these areas include ethics and social responsibility, forms of business ownership, small business concerns, and international issues. New coverage in the Ninth Edition more closely examines economics, the role of teams, customer relationship management, and globalization. In addition to updating and revitalizing the content, the authors have redesigned the entire textbook program to highlight its strengths as the most accessible and student friendly program on the market. The "Your Guide to an A" passkey ensures student success and mastery through premium online study content, including ACE Plus practice tests, flashcards, MP3 audio chapter summaries and quizzes, interactive games, andCareer Snapshots. New!Chapter-opening "Your Guide to Success" features draw ideas and pointers directly from Houghton Mifflin'sBecoming a Master Studentseries. The three-part approach clarifies for students WHAT they will be able to accomplish once they complete the chapter, WHY the chapter matters, and which FOR HELP study aids correlate to chapter content at the Online Study Center. New!End-of-chapter features--Prep-Testquizzes andJournal Exercises--allow students to quickly assess their understanding of the content and to hone their written communication skills by applying text material to their own experiences. New!Boxed inserts are now more concise and visually dynamic in order to capture and maintain student interest. All themed boxes are new to this edition:Entrepreneurial Challenge, Your Career, Examining Ethics, BizTech,andBusiness Around the World.In addition, aSpotlightfeature (two per chapter) presents factual data in an easy to understand, illustrated format, making the text even more visually appealing and relevant to real-world activities. New!Each chapter-ending case is accompanied by supporting video; additional video cases further enhance teaching and learning. New in-text cases include IKEA's target market, employee satisfaction at Borders Books, and the Harry Potter franchise's public relations success, while new video cases focus on BMW, Travelocity.com, and REI. Updated!The enhanced instructor's support package highlights its strength as a teaching tool. The Instructor's Resource Manual and Test Bank feature an entirely new design and several instructional aids to support those teaching the course. The Online Teaching Center includes easy-to-use tools such as PowerPoint and Premium PowerPoint slides, Overhead Transparency and IRM files, and Classroom Response System content. In addition, a bi-monthly newsletter, written by the authors to provide up-to-date business news and teaching pointers, will be offered and electronically delivered to instructors who opt in for this service. Running a Business,an ongoing video case featured at the end of each Part, provides students with an insider's perspective on Finagle-a-Bagel, a bagel bakery/cafeacute;. This firsthand look into one business's day-to-day operations allows students to gain a better understanding of the real challenges business owners face. Students can also apply what they learn by analyzing problems, solutions, and actions taken at the company. Building Skills for Career Successsections highlight skills students can learn and apply immediately through a range of exercises: Exploring the Internet, Developing Critical Thinking Skills, Building Team Skills, Researching Different Careers, and Improving Communication Skills. Businesscontinues to be available to students in the popula